Sabine

“With me, nothing is as it seems. It's usually much, much worse. And then— What do you mean I only get one epigraph? I get as many as I please. Only pre-eviscerated people have ever said things like that to me.”

— Sabine of the Sorceri, Queen of Illusions, annointed princess of Rothkalina

As a small child, Sabine was the almost sole carer of her sister Melanthe. At the age of 12, when her sister was 9, her family was attacked by Vrekener. Their parents were slaughtered. Sabine fought to save Lanthe and was struck. Lanthe used her power of persuasion to cause the enemy army to fight each other and die.

Growing up Sabine was killed several times by Vrekener and twice by mortals, only to be saved from death by Melanthe's persuasion ability, eventually the strain of such a feat on a young Sorceri burnt out Melanthe's power. This, as well as her sisterly concern made her indulgent in helping Melanthe replace her power if a male Sorceri steals it from her.

Sabine fell in allegiance with Omort the Deathless begrudgingly. Omort is her half brother who is very powerful and is obsessed with her and her experiences with death. Having no other place safe from the Vrekeners, she and Melanthe joined him, living in Tornin. Omort trained her in poisons, but not until after he poisoned both Sabine and Melathne with a morsus.

She took sanctuary on her body, an ancient Sorceri pact, that means as long as she remains a virgin no one may rape her.

At the prompting of Omort, Sabine kidnaps Rydstrom, luring him inside Tornin with a powerful illusion. While he is in her power she attempts to coerce a marriage vow from him. She wants to get pregnant and offer her son to the Well residing in Tornin. The Well has unknown powers. Sabine finds Rydstrom very attractive and teases him sexually. When he rebuffs her seduction she orders him bathed by homosexual Inferi who try to molest him.

After they have foreplay sex, Rydstrom escapes with help from Lothaire. The tables are turned; Rydstrom takes Sabine hostage and out of Tornin to the edge of the realm. His goal is get back to his brother to get the sword. Since he can no longer trace, the two are forced to hike to the edge looking for a portal back to his home in New Orleans. Much happens on this journey and Sabine falls in love with Rydstrom. They find a demon encampment and the demons pledge allegiance to the rightful king but they do not accept Sabine. She very slowly wins over the people, only after befriending a demon boy and saving the camp from a dragon. The morsus strikes earlier than expected and Rydstrom attempts to sacrifice himself for her life. Sabine smuggles the sword forged by Groot the Metallurgist to kill Omort back to Rothkalina. Rydstrom kills Omort with the sword and Hag gives Sabine the antidote. Sabine and Rydstrom get married. She also reveals that if Cadeon had responded to Rydstrom and accepted the crown in his stead, Cade would have been killed by Omort's ambush. So Sabine brings the brothers together.